Do we need more male teachers?

By Meris Stansbury

December 30th, 2009

Ronald Maggiano is somewhat unusual in the teaching profession, the Washington Post reports. That is because he is male. Maggiano is an award-winning teacher in the Social Studies Department at West Springfield High School in Virginia. He has taught in public and private schools for 25 years. In a piece on his blog called “The Classroom Post,” he calls for more males to enter the profession. Here’s why: Men Teach, a non-profit organization that encourages men to enter teaching, reports that in 2008, 18.8 percent of all elementary and middle school teachers were men. At the high school level during the same year, men comprised 44 percent of the work force. Why are there so few men in teaching? Men Teach cites low pay and lack of prestige, as well as a perception in our culture that teaching is for women. As a result, there is no organized effort across the country to recruit men into the teaching profession.

Meris Stansbury

Meris Stansbury is the Editorial Director for both eSchool News and eCampus News, and was formerly the Managing Editor of eCampus News. Before working at eSchool Media, Meris worked as an assistant editor for The World and I, an online curriculum publication. She graduated from Kenyon College in 2006 with a BA in English, and enjoys spending way too much time either reading or cooking.

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Do we need more male teachers?

By Meris Stansbury

December 30th, 2009

Ronald Maggiano is somewhat unusual in the teaching profession, the Washington Post reports. That is because he is male. Maggiano is an award-winning teacher in the Social Studies Department at West Springfield High School in Virginia. He has taught in public and private schools for 25 years. In a piece on his blog called “The Classroom Post,” he calls for more males to enter the profession. Here’s why: Men Teach, a non-profit organization that encourages men to enter teaching, reports that in 2008, 18.8 percent of all elementary and middle school teachers were men. At the high school level during the same year, men comprised 44 percent of the work force. Why are there so few men in teaching? Men Teach cites low pay and lack of prestige, as well as a perception in our culture that teaching is for women. As a result, there is no organized effort across the country to recruit men into the teaching profession.

Meris Stansbury

Meris Stansbury is the Editorial Director for both eSchool News and eCampus News, and was formerly the Managing Editor of eCampus News. Before working at eSchool Media, Meris worked as an assistant editor for The World and I, an online curriculum publication. She graduated from Kenyon College in 2006 with a BA in English, and enjoys spending way too much time either reading or cooking.